Wander in Bukhara: City of Artisans
Home to generations of artisans, Bukhara keeps the spirit of tradition alive — in embroidery, weaving, woodcarving, metalwork, and other time-honoured crafts.
Sense of Wander: ★★★★★
Beautiful wall hangings reimagined from vintage carpets.
BUKHARA, Uzbekistan — For centuries, this desert oasis has been a cradle of craftsmanship. At its height, more than two hundred types of crafts flourished here; even in the 20th century, over a hundred were still actively practiced.
It is not hard to see why Bukhara became so prolific in craft. Situated along the ancient Silk Road, the city was once a vital stop for traders carrying silk, spices, and stories between East and West. Beneath its domed bazaars — known as Toqi — merchants sold goods and crafts from across the region.
Each neighbourhood, or mahalla, was tied to a specific craft: the Gold Embroiderers’ Mahalla, the Jewellers’ Mahalla, the Coppersmiths’ Mahalla, and so on. Skills were closely guarded, passed down from grandfather to grandson, each generation adding its own touch to the family’s legacy.
Bukhara also celebrated its artisans through Sayli Guli Surkh, a festival held in honour of the city’s patron saint, Hazrat Yusuf, where craftsmen from every corner of the region would gather to display their creations.
Wandering through the historic centre of Bukhara today, visitors still encounter traces of this living heritage — the shimmer of gold embroidery, the ephemeral patterns of ikat textiles, and the curious charm of stork-shaped scissors. The Bukhara Artisan Development Centre, which brings together crafts both celebrated and rare, offers a window into this world.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, Bukhara remains a city of artisans in every sense. For generations, masters of metalwork, textiles, ceramics, and calligraphy have honed their skills in workshops tucked down narrow alleys, preserving tradition while responding to the rhythms of trade and time. Today, their legacy lives on — not only in their workshops, but also within the city’s state museum preserves.
Craft is not merely preserved here; it continues to evolve. So deeply woven into the city’s identity is this creative spirit that it became the anchor of the inaugural Bukhara Biennale.
To understand this spirit, one might begin with the crafts themselves — from the gold embroidery that has long defined Bukhara’s identity, to the art of weaving, jewellery-making, and even puppet-making, each revealing a different facet of the city’s artisanal soul:
Gold Embroidery
Baxshullo Jumayev, a master gold embroiderer with nearly six decades of practice, is the living heritage of Bukhara’s treasured craft.
Gold embroidery is the art of stitching with gold and silver thread — a needlework tradition said to be more than two thousand years old. According to legend, goldwork was practiced in Sogdiana even before the arrival of silk. When the Arabs conquered Central Asia in the 8th century, they noted that Sogdian noblemen adorned their garments with gold-embroidered finery.
Written sources attest to the craft’s existence as early as the 14th century, while the colours and ornaments of wall paintings from the 6th and 7th centuries suggest that gold embroidery had already taken root in the early Middle Ages.
In present-day Uzbekistan, the craft flourished in regions such as Nurata, Shakhrisabz, Samarkand, Jizzak, Tashkent, Fergana, and Pskent — yet it was Bukhara that rose to prominence. From the 16th century onward, gold embroidery was almost inseparable from the city’s identity, reaching its zenith in the 19th century when it adorned the robes of emirs and aristocrats. Historical records mention a dedicated workshop within the Ark of Bukhara, while dozens of private ateliers thrived throughout the city.
Traditionally, gold embroidery decorated both men’s and women’s garments — caftans, dresses, skullcaps, trousers, and shoes. The most renowned among them is the zarchapan, a ceremonial robe once reserved for royals and still worn today on special occasions such as weddings.
Artisans often work with velvet in deep hues, embellishing it with narrow strips of metal or silver wire, sometimes gilded, wound tightly around silk or paper threads. The resulting designs come in floral and geometric motifs, their golden reliefs shimmering with every movement.
To see this art firsthand, visit the workshop of Baxshullo Jumayev, located near the southern entrance of Toqi Zargaron, where you’ll find museum-calibre gold embroidery!
Recognised as a People’s Master of Uzbekistan, Baxshullo is the sixth generation in a family of embroiderers. For over 57 years, he has practiced the craft, training more than five hundred apprentices from around the world.
Wanderer’s tips — Baxshullo Jumayev speaks English — don’t hesitate to strike up a conversation to learn more about the history and spirit of gold embroidery.
Ikat Weaving
Master weaver Daminjon Axunov at the loom, bringing Silk & Heritage to life.
Bukhara, alongside Kokand, Margilan, and Namangan, is one of Uzbekistan’s historic centres of weaving. Tucked away in narrow alleys or within historic caravanserais, weavers can be seen at their looms, patiently bringing intricate patterns in silk and cotton to life.
The name ikat comes from the Indonesian mengikat, meaning “to bundle.” It is an ancient technique in which threads are resist-dyed before weaving. In Uzbekistan, this method is known as abrband, which in Persian translates to “tying a cloud,” and the resulting fabric is called abra. Some of the finest ikat was — and still is — dyed in Margilan.
Legend has it that the first ikat pattern was born from an artisan’s teardrop falling onto a pond, its ripples scattering into a rainbow across the water’s surface.
Ikat patterns are celebrated for their rich symbolism, each motif bearing a name drawn from nature, everyday life, or spiritual imagination: tumorcha (amulet), tarok (comb), gadjak (jewellery), bodom (almond), darakht (tree), and anor (pomegranate), among others.
These patterns were not purely decorative; many evolved from social necessity. For instance, the jewellery motif provided a solution for newlywed women who could not afford costly ornaments, allowing them to display the wealth and prestige of their family through their clothing.
Today, ikat, alongside other hand-woven silk and cotton fabrics, remains an essential element of Uzbekistan’s national attire and cultural heritage.
Wanderer’s tips — My favourite go-to weaving workshop in Bukhara is Silk & Heritage, located within the Bukhara Artisan Development Centre. Here, you can watch weavers at work and purchase a variety of silk and cotton products at reasonable prices.
Suzani
Embroiderer Bashkir works patiently at her craft outside her shop.
For visitors to Bukhara, the word suzani appears everywhere. Derived from the Persian سوزن (suzan), meaning “needle,” it refers to a type of decorative textile adorned with intricate needlework embroidery throughout Central Asia.
Traditionally, suzanis were created by brides as part of their dowry, presented to the groom on the wedding day. Each hand-embroidered textile carries the character of everyday use; the story of every suzani is as rich as its colours.
Suzanis are usually done on a cotton — sometimes silk — base, with silk or cotton threads stitched into vibrant designs. Floral motifs such as tulips and carnations are most common, along with pomegranates, leaves, and winding vines. Occasionally, birds, fish, or human figures appear.
In Bukhara, suzanis can be found on the streets, in private workshops, and in museums. My personal favourite is the Silk Embroidery Workshop inside the Bukhara Artisan Development Centre.
Run by Bashkir, an elderly master embroiderer, the workshop is known for its rustic, understated designs, sewn in naturally dyed silk onto plain cotton. Pomegranates — symbols of fertility and abundance — dominate the compositions, accompanied by delicate floral and vine motifs. The designs appear on tote bags, towels, jackets, table runners, and wall hangings. Its simple style offers a contrast to the heavily embroidered suzanis often seen on the streets, making it a welcome pause for the eyes.
Wanderer’s tips — For vintage suzanis, visit Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa, also known as the Palace of the Stars and the Moon, on the outskirts of Bukhara.
Metalworking
A fifth-generation blacksmith proudly displays the male (right) and female (left) versions of stork scissors in front of his shop near Toqi Sarrafon.
Since time immemorial, humanity has found ways to shape and transform sheets of metal into both functional tools and decorative objects. The art of metalworking encompasses a wide range of techniques — hammering, casting, cutting, and welding — each requiring patience, skill, and a keen eye.
Through these methods, a blacksmith can fashion anything from a fine needle to monumental structures such as bridges and buildings. As Firdowsi’s Shahnameh poetically notes, a blacksmith knows the magic of “separating the metal from the stone… flashing iron from ore,” becoming “the king of crafts” who creates “steel as saw and hoe.”
It is no surprise, then, that Bukhara — a city of crafts — is renowned for its metalwork. Abu Rayhan Beruni recorded in the 10th century that blacksmiths worked with four types of metal. By the late 19th century, more than 150 blacksmiths were active in Bukhara. Today, around 40 continue the tradition, producing everything from household tools to highly artistic pieces.
Wandering through the historic centre of Bukhara, you will likely encounter stalls and private workshops run by these skilled artisan — many of them showcases the city’s signature scissors, shaped like storks.
But why the stork? Bukhara was once home to many of these birds, whose nests crowned rooftops and minarets, even in times of turmoil. Storks came to symbolise the city’s resilience and renewal, returning to the same nests year after year. Today, artificial nests and storks atop landmarks such as Toqi Zargaron are regarded as blessings of peace and good fortune.
But the stork-shaped scissors themselves have an interesting origin. They are said to descend from 19th-century European medical clamps used by midwives to stop blood flow in a newborn’s umbilical cord. Designed in the shape of storks because of their association with babies, the form eventually found its way into embroidery scissors, often crafted with sharp, precise tips.
Of course, no visit to Bukhara would be complete without bringing home a pair of stork scissors!
Wanderer’s tips — Visit the Blacksmith Museum, where you can explore the origins and evolution of metalsmithing, and step inside a blacksmith’s workshop to experience what life in the forge is like.
Jewellery
Traditional jewellery on display at Toqi Zargaron, once a centre of jewellery craft and trade.
Bukhara was home to a rich tapestry of communities, including Uzbek, Tajik, Arabs, Jews, and Turkmens. This multicultural heritage is reflected in the city’s jewellery, where craftsmanship and symbolism intertwine.
Traditional jewellery often took the form of diadems or headbands, known as tilla-kosh (golden eyebrows), tilla-bargak (golden petals), silsila (chains), and kanot-osma (wing pendants). Earrings, rings, bracelets, and bangles were equally cherished, and even infants’ headpieces and garments were adorned with semi-precious stones.
Besides decoration, jewellery also carried meaning and function; it marked social status, wealth, rites of passage, and ethnic identity. Large, ornate sets were believed to protect the wearer from evil spirits, particularly during weddings, while coloured gemstones were thought to guard against the evil eye.
The profession of the jeweller, or zargar, was itself regarded as sacred — every strike of the hammer, every moment at the anvil, and every exposure to the “sacred flame” imbued the craft with ritual significance. This all, however, shifted during the Soviet era, when aesthetics and decoration became the primary focus.
The Toqi Zargaron, built in 1570, once served as Bukhara’s centre for trading gold, precious metals, and gemstones. Today, it remains the largest of the city’s three surviving bazaars. Today, its former glory as a hub of jewellery has faded, replaced largely by stalls selling tourist souvenirs and spices.
Wanderer’s tips — Visit the Ark of Bukhara, where a museum displays traditional Bukharian costumes, jewellery, and jeweller’s tools. For those hoping to purchase Bukharian-style jewellery, the stall inside Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa is a perfect stop.
Wood Carving
Woodcarving master Ilyor Jumayev at work in his workshop within Nadir Devanbegi Madrasa.
Woodcarving is a traditional craft that flourished in Uzbekistan from the late 19th to early 20th century. Its origins lie in decorative work for architectural elements such as columns and doors, before expanding into household items.
The craft is practiced across several regions — Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, and Fergana — each with its own stylistic canon, approach to carving, and choice of patterns. While I find the works from Khiva to be the finest, distinguishing the differences between regional styles remains a challenge, even after speaking with several master carvers.
In Bukhara, generations of families have kept the tradition alive. Local artisans use woods such as walnut, elm, and mulberry to bring intricate designs to life. I had the pleasure of meeting Ilyor Jumayev, a master woodcarver whose studio is tucked inside the Nadir Devanbegi Madrasa.
Ornamental patterns appear on plates, pen boxes, stools, and tabletops. I took home a secret pen box carved with tulips — a messenger of spring and a symbol of renewal for the Uzbek people — executed with simplicity and mastery.
Wanderer’s tips — For curious ones, the Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa houses a small museum dedicated to the art of woodcarving.
Puppet Making
Lacquered puppet heads hang to dry in the workshop on the upper floor of the Puppet Museum.
When speaking of Bukhara’s traditional crafts, the art of puppet making is often overlooked. Yet this centuries-old craft dates back as far as the 5th century, its heritage preserved and celebrated at the the Puppet Museum, just a stone’s throw from Lyabi-Hauz Square.
The museum was founded by master puppeteer Iskandar Khakimov, who continues to craft puppets in his workshop upstairs. The process is intricate: molding the plaster body, layering it with papier-mâché, painting delicate faces, sewing miniature costumes, and adding tiny pieces of jewellery. Traditionally, men sculpt the figures while women create the clothing and adornments.
Puppet making is not unique to Bukhara; the craft is also practiced in Khiva, Samarkand, and Tashkent. But Bukharan puppets are different. Farrukh, a puppet maker with 13 years of experience, explained that each puppet is built from 10 to 12 layers of papier-mâché — often recycled from newspapers or pages of Soviet-era books — with character types numbering as many as 120.
What makes a visit to the museum especially engaging is the live demonstration of puppets in motion, guided by the puppeteer’s hand. Though traditional performances are no longer held, these brief demonstrations breathe life into the figures.
Upstairs, artisans continue to craft the puppets that populate the museum. Look closely, and you may spot a face that mirrors your own, awaiting you to take it home.
Wanderer’s tips — Among the Bukharan puppets are those from Khiva and beyond. Keep your eyes open — each figure carries its own story.
Miniature Painting
Abdulkodir, a disciple of master Davlat Toshev, at work in the Ustoz Shogird Workshop.
Wandering through Bukhara’s historic centre, it is not difficult to spot miniature paintings: scenes of merchant caravans riding horses and camels along the Silk Road, recalling the city’s historic role as a crossroads between East and West. Beyond depictions of the Great Silk Road, miniatures also feature celebrated scientists, birds, and local fauna, each painted with meticulous detail and care.
Miniature painting — the art of rendering intricate subjects in small scale — is a longstanding tradition across Muslim cultures, emerging alongside the ornate illumination of manuscripts. Between the 13th and 17th centuries, it flourished in regions such as Afghanistan, India, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, each developing its own distinctive style.
During the Timurid dynasty (1370-1507), cities like Herat became prominent centres of miniature art, led by masters such as Kamaliddin Behzad (circa 1455–1535) at the royal atelier. After the fall of the Timurids, many artists migrated to the Uzbek Shaybanid Dynasty (1500-1598), laying the foundation for the Bukhara school of miniature painting.
Among a handful of private workshops in Bukhara, my favourite is the Ustoz Shogird Workshop, a one-minute walk from Toqi Sarrofon. Stepping inside, the space feels like entering a home: paintings of various themes adorn rooms lining an open-air courtyard, some by the master himself, others by his students.
This historic building, part studio, gallery, workshop, and home, is led by Davlat Toshev, a master artisan who began creating miniatures in the early 1990s. The name Ustoz-Shogird — “teacher-student” — embodies the Uzbek tradition of passing down craft. Toshev is known for teaching talented students free of charge. During our conversation, he proudly shared the work of his students, some deaf or mute, illustrating how art serves as their medium of expression.
A distinctive feature of Toshev’s work is the use of Abru-Bahor along the edges of his paintings. Also known as ebru or marbling, this technique creates flowing, cloud-like patterns on a liquid surface. Its name derives from the Persian words for “cloud” (abr) and “spring” (bahor), and while often associated with Turkey, it is said to have roots in Bukhara. Having learned ebru with master Fikret Guney in Istanbul, it’s a delightful surprise to see the technique alive here, even practiced by the son of Toshev’s disciple.
Wanderer’s tips — The Ustoz Shogird Workshop also serves one of the finest pilafs in Bukhara. Take your time — savour the artistry of Davlat Toshev while enjoying this national dish.
Calligraphy
Zoomorphic calligraphy by master painter and calligrapher Davlat Safarov.
Calligraphy, alongside miniature painting, forms the art of the books.
In Islam, calligraphy is regarded as the highest form of art, as it was first used to transmit the Words of God in the Quran. When Islam reached Central Asia in the 8th century, Arabic became the language of administration and public affairs. Over time, calligraphy evolved beyond a medium for conveying knowledge — it came to adorn everyday objects, from ceramics and metalware to robes and jewellery.
While in Bukhara, one cannot miss the elegant calligraphic inscriptions decorating the facades of caravanserais and madrasas. In the hands of master calligraphers, phrases of dua (prayers) or Quranic verses take shape as swirling dervishes, camels, birds, and flowers.
The Bukhara school of calligraphy holds a distinct place in the history of Uzbek calligraphy. In the 17th century, a style known as Naskh al-Bukhari emerged here, thanks to Mir Ubaid Bukhari. This style spread across Central Asia and northern Afghanistan, while calligraphers trained in Bukhara also contributed to the art in regions such as Fergana and Khorezm.
Wanderer’s tips — To explore further, visit the calligraphy exhibition inside the Ark of Bukhara, as well as the History Museum of Bukhara Calligraphy Art housed inside the Ulugbeg Madrasa.
You may also be interested in:
Reference:
Abdukhalikov, F. F., Rtveladze, E. V., Ismailova, J. Kh., & Levteeva, L. G. (2021). The collection of the State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan. Part 2: Ethnographic collection (Illustrated vol.). Tashkent: Zamon-Press-Info Publishing House.
Abdullayev, T., Fakhretdinova, D., & Khakimov, A. (1986). A song in metal: Folk art of Uzbekistan. Gafur Gulyam Art & Literature Publishers.
Levteeva, L. (2003, October 1). Bukhara’s gold embroidery. Sanʿat. Retrieved from https://sanat.orexca.com/2003/2003-4/history_art9-2/
UNESCO. (2021, April 16). Miniature: art with a long history. UNESCO. Retrieved from https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/miniature-art-long-history